I'm not sure but I think the guy that has coached his teams to a title or 2 knows how to schedule games & my guess would be is he knows what he's doing...

Sure he knows what he is doing and so does everyone else.Trying to keep the gators ranked up there by having all W's.They lost a lot but will be better than playing a schedule like this.:laugh:

Sure he knows what he is doing and so does everyone else.Trying to keep the gators ranked up there by having all W's.They lost a lot but will be better than playing a schedule like this.:laugh:

 

Ohhhh so if Morehead St went undefeated they would be "ranked up there"?

Gotcha. :thumb: :laugh:

 

I hope you do know that you have to beat quality teams to be "ranked up there" :thumb:

I'm not sure but I think the guy that has coached his teams to a title or 2 knows how to schedule games & my guess would be is he knows what he's doing...

 

:thumb: :thumb:

 

He is replacing a freaking ton this year, no sin in letting them ease into their College Careers. I believe he is above anyone here questioning him, as Scarface alluded to.

Billy D won back to back National Championships. He can schedule whoever the hell he wants by my book....

:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

What if it was Duke, Carolina or UK with this schedule, young or not????

I've got to agree, it's all about W's and trying to be ranked with a less stellar team than last year. AND YES Morehead would be ranked and keep on keeping on with the easy schedule if they were coming off of 2 titles and an up and coming "dynasty" type team like Billy and the Gators. It's not rocket science, the man is going "Cupcake City" (to borrow a phrase) to stay on top when he knows that it would be rough to play a normal schedule for the caliber of team Florida has become. He can schedule who he wants, but he is also dodging to stay there, say what you want, you know it's going on. At least play a couple of games that are worth putting on ESPN when you are the defending champ.

What if it was Duke, Carolina or UK with this schedule, young or not????

I've got to agree, it's all about W's and trying to be ranked with a less stellar team than last year. AND YES Morehead would be ranked and keep on keeping on with the easy schedule if they were coming off of 2 titles and an up and coming "dynasty" type team like Billy and the Gators. It's not rocket science, the man is going "Cupcake City" (to borrow a phrase) to stay on top when he knows that it would be rough to play a normal schedule for the caliber of team Florida has become. He can schedule who he wants, but he is also dodging to stay there, say what you want, you know it's going on. At least play a couple of games that are worth putting on ESPN when you are the defending champ.

I am in no way a Donovan guy / supporter and am glad that he didn't come to U.K.. Having said that, I can certainly see his point in this schedule. He will have a young but talented team. I really do not think that he is padding the schedule just to get wins to pad his record. Billy D has nothing to prove to anyone. Imo 2 consecutive NC's speaks for itself.

 

I beleive that Donovan knows that he has young team and wants to instill confidence in them going into a conference schedule. Winning breeds confidence. This concept/strategy is nothing new. Pitino was mentioned before on doing this. Pitino was an assistant to J. Bohiem who pads schedules more than anyone alive . Donovan came up under Pitino, Pitino under Bohiem . Other coaches all over do this. I personally think that you have to put a few tougher OOC games in a schedule but that's just me, if I am a coach and will have an extremely young and inexperienced team then would want a padded OOC as well.

Right up there with UK scheduling Texas Southern, SUNY-Stony Brook, Tennessee Tech, San Diego, Florida International and Houston.

 

They all set up easy non-conference schedules these days.

 

San Diego was a NCAA Tourney team last season.

 

Kentucky plays 6 teams (not counting the first two rounds of the 2K Classic) that didn't make the NCAA Tourney last year (including a tough Houston team), and play possibly four teams ranked in the Top 10 this season. (UNC, UL, IU, Memphis)

 

Florida plays 14 teams that didn't make the tourney, and only one that did. (Unless Fl. St. made it.)

I'm sorry, but ths UF and the UK schedules aren't even comparable!!! Florida will more than likely be undefeated or have 1 loss before heading into SEC play. They have MAYBE 2 loseable non-conference games in Florida State and Ohio State. UK plays a good Houston team, Indiana, Louisville, UNC, and possibly Memphis or U-Conn. I understand Donovan's approach though. His team will be able to grow and build some chemistry before entering conference play AND they may be one of the only teams in the country that would still be undefeated. This means that they will be ranked in the top 15 in the country, just because they are undefeated. It looks like a good plan by Donovan!

I am a pro Billy D fan, and also a florida fan, but if you ask me and it may be a little bias, he did exactly what 99% of college coaches would do after losing the players they did. (The exception is Tom Izzo, he schedules bruttle schedules year after year) But to say that he is doing it to get an easy path to March. If you remember from last year, a soft ooc schedule and weak conference play doomed Syracuse from even dancing last year. I think it is more of a confidence building thing going into conference play. Which will give them a chance to be sucessful in conference play IMO.

I agree with the schedule for a young team, but I question the ethics of going soft just to go soft so the win/loss looks good on paper. Hopefully the voters will see through it and reward the "undefeated" ooc accordingly and keep the Gators lower teir until they prove that they could do it with competition. Beat the Vols a time or two with the team the Gators will have and I'll change the tune, but until then, due to soft scheduling, I'll keep my opinion on it as soft to be easy, which provides a fluff ranking . A lot of wins without any threats.

I agree with the schedule for a young team, but I question the ethics of going soft just to go soft so the win/loss looks good on paper. Hopefully the voters will see through it and reward the "undefeated" ooc accordingly and keep the Gators lower teir until they prove that they could do it with competition. Beat the Vols a time or two with the team the Gators will have and I'll change the tune, but until then, due to soft scheduling, I'll keep my opinion on it as soft to be easy, which provides a fluff ranking . A lot of wins without any threats.

:thumb: I can agree with that in that I hope that the voters do not rank them high and take the cupcake schedule into consideration. I don't see it however with him coming off 2 NC's and the media seems to be in love with the guy. We (U.K.) will have to take care of things "on the court", we do that and all will take care of itself.

The only team in the SEC East that MIGHT make Florida pay for a cupcake OOC schedule is Tennessee.

The only team in the SEC East that MIGHT make Florida pay for a cupcake OOC schedule is Tennessee.

 

I dunno about all that....

I've got to agree, it's all about W's and trying to be ranked

 

Do you honestly think that Billy Donovan cares about his team being ranked in December? This isn't College Football, being ranked is meaningless that early in the season. What would be the point?

 

Fact, the schedule is weak.

Fact, he is replacing everyone and wants to build their confidence with wins.

Fact, he knows more about coaching a college basketball team than EVERYONE on this board combined times two.

Fact, his method in developing a true cohesive team has been pretty good.

Fact, I can't stand the guy and am glad he didn't come to UK.

 

:D